7. Black Ring

Arva and Leon are ready to go on a date and leave Noura alone. The other employees had already left. Arva and Noura always go home last to check the stock of materials and ensure the door is appropriately locked—for fear of being robbed. However, the actual area of ​​the city is very safe. There have never been any incidents of robbery or theft, but what's wrong with anticipating?

"I go first." Arva hugged Noura. Taking the time to pinch Noura's slightly chubby cheeks.

"Are you sure? I can take you to the bus stop. The bus stop is quite far." Leon offers a ride.  Arva looked at her mate sharply. Leon smirked.

"No need. I don't want to be a nuisance." Noura understood the look Arva gave Leon. No couple wants to be disturbed while on a date.

"No, don't be a nuisance. After all, we're friends," Leon teased with a wink.

"Just keep teasing Princess Noura." Arva is annoyed. Leon has always liked to tease Noura.

Noura chuckled.

"Don't be mad. I only love you." Leon sulked and grabbed Arva's hand, who pouted.

Noura smiled, seeing these two best friends who she thought were a romantic couple. "You're not going? You said you were afraid of running out of tickets." Arva and Leon glared at each other.

"Oops, I forgot. Come on, hurry up. Good night, Princess Noura. We'll go first," shouted Arva as she walked towards Leon's white car.

"Be careful on the road, Princess Noura." Leon smiled widely.

"Yes, Alpha. Go quickly. Arva will get angry later." Noura pushed Leon's muscular body. The man just nodded his head.

**

In the car, after quite a distance from the cafe. Arva pinched Leon's stomach, causing Leon to scowl in pain.

"You forgot? My big brother is coming to meet princess Noura." Arva glared, annoyed. It felt like when Leon offered a ride, and she really wanted to shut Leon's mouth. But she didn't, afraid Noura would suspect.

Leon chuckled. "I remember. Besides, princess Noura would definitely refuse. That's why I dared offer her a ride." Leon spoke without turning his head, focusing on the road in front of him.

"Yeah, I know that. Could it be that you intend to thwart Alpha's meeting with Noura?" Arva narrowed her eyes, looking at Leon probingly. Yesterday from Leon's words, it was like her mate disagreed with Orlan's decision to meet Noura.

Leon laughed. "I'm not that bad. Orlan is my best friend and will be my brother-in-law. If princess Noura marries Orlan, she will also be my brother-in-law, right?"

"But what did you mean yesterday?"

"I'm just worried. The werewolf clan and vampire clan relationship improved because of Alpha Orlan and king Carlen. Don't because Noura turned out to be Orlan's mate, making the relationship between the two clans at odds again."

"Do you know what will happen if Alpha and princess Noura are together?" Arva interrogated Leon, and her gaze grew sharper.

Leon was silent. "I don't know. That's just my guess. Because the vampire clan seems to have silenced the witches, so they don't tell about the prophecy."

"That's right. What will happen? But Noura doesn't know the full contents of the prophecy." Arva thought hard.

"It's possible that Princess Noura doesn't know, even I'm sure King Carlen doesn't know either. The one who knows that Ferin, the provocateur," Leon growled. He was always annoyed to remember Ferin's name and face.

***

Noura was just about to leave the cafe. There was a loud ringing of the bell above the cafe door.

Noura turned towards the door. There stood a man wearing a black suit. His blue eyes looked at Noura gently with a faint smile plastered on his face. Noura was surprised. "Alpha Orlan? Are you looking for Arva? She just came home with Alpha Leon."

Orlan approached Noura, who looked at him in confusion.

Orlan stood two steps away from Noura. Suddenly his body stiffened with his heart beating very fast. Jay kept shouting Noura's name.

"Orlan. Oh, really. Our mate's scent is addicting to me. She smells so good. Even though she's a vampire!" Jay was jumping up and down; he was too happy.

"Shut up, stupid! You make me dizzy," Orlan snapped. He was dizzy at the sound of Jay's voice echoing in his head.

Orlan inhaled the fragrance of lavender and jasmine flowers that he had been miss a lot since yesterday. Yesterday he did not come to the restaurant in front of this cafe because he had very important business. This scent really got him addicted.

Noura blinked her eyes. "What's wrong? Do I need to call Arva to come back here?" Noura felt awkward seeing the position of the two, who were very close. Noura felt like there was something serious Orlan wanted to tell her; Noura used one of her powers so Carlen couldn't hear her conversation with Orlan.

"No, I want to meet you." Orlan's face shows a happy smile.

Noura tilted her head. "I." Noura pointed at herself to confirm. Orlan nodded. "What's wrong? The cafe is closed. The ingredients are gone too. So I can't provide you anything."

Orlan smiled amusedly.

"Our mate is adorable, Orlan." Jay's voice echoed in Orlan's head. He jumped again. Making Orlan again yell at him to be quiet.

Noura is confused. Why is Orlan smiling? Is there something funny?

"It's fine. I just wanted to meet you." Orlan's voice softened, unlike his usual flat and cold voice.

"Would you like to invest in shares? If that's a problem, just talk to Arva." Noura was just guessing.

Orlan chuckled.

Noura frowned. Is it anything funny?

"I'd like to speak to you, but allow me to drive you home." Orlan noticed the confused look on Noura's face.

"Take me home? What's the matter?" Noura is getting confused.

Orlan felt awkward. This was the first time he had spoken alone with Noura. He was confused about how to tell Noura that Noura was his mate. This is also the first time he has interacted directly with a woman! His heart was beating violently, and Jay kept shouting Noura's name.

"Appalachia Forest and Redwood Forest are in the same direction, aren't they?" Orlan was confused about what to say. This conversation is very strange to hear. Even Jay laughed and called himself stupid. Because it can't be romantic at all, it even seems suspicious.

"Yes, that's right. But I can go home alone. I'm used to taking the bus." Noura was even more surprised. What's with Alpha Orlan?

"It's dangerous to come home alone at this time of night," Orlan said. He was at a loss for words.

Noura raised her eyebrows. She just remembered Alpha Orlan said he wanted to talk to her. "If I don't remember wrong. You want to talk to me? What's wrong?"

"Yes, I want to talk to you. But not here, let's talk in the car. I'll take you home. Don't worry, I don't mean anything bad." Orlan tried to persuade Noura.

Noura was silent. Surely Alpha Orlan wouldn't do anything terrible to her. The Redwood Pack and the Appalachia Kingdom have been business partners for a long time. Even the relations between the two clans improved because of their cooperation. Then the Tongass Pack and Chugach Pack also cooperated with the Appalachia Kingdom, and recently the Hamakua Kingdom also joined, making business ties even stronger between the two clans.

Even though the business was going well, the relationship between the vampire clan and the werewolf clans wasn't going well; they were still suspicious of each other.

"Okay." Noura finally agreed. Well, who knows? What Orlan wants to say is really very serious and important. Then she would try to pass through the portal magic that other vampires used to pass through.

***

"Really, you're not romantic, Orlan. Tell her quickly and then give her a ring. If you keep quiet, let me talk to Noura." Jay shouted. Jay was exasperated, and Orlan just kept quiet. The atmosphere in the car was very quiet, without anyone making a sound. Jay kept asking Orlan to switch bodies.

"Patience, I'm in deep thought. You've been rambling on incoherently without providing a solution. You're noisy." Orlan broke his mind link with Jay.

Noura just looked out the window, and she had been in her thoughts for thirty minutes.

What would Alpha Orlan say? Why didn't he talk? What's really going on? What is she going to take to the Redwood pack? What if she is going to be kidnapped? Noura thought nervously.

Noura holding her hand, shuddered in horror, but she continued to think positively. Maybe Alpha Orlan wants to meet her big brother. Maybe?

Orlan stopped his car right on a deserted highway. Noura glared, and negative thoughts began to appear.

Orlan took a deep breath; he was nervous. "Princess Noura," Orlan called softly.

Noura turned around at Orlan. "Why stop here? Is there a problem, Alpha?" Noura asked. She tries to relax so she doesn't look scared.

"No. I just wanted to talk to you. So it's better to stop for a moment," Orlan said. He doesn't know what he's doing now.

Noura stared straight at Orlan, waiting for what Alpha from the Redwood Pack would say.

Orlan took a deep breath. He was very nervous; his brain was busy processing words that would make Noura believe.

Five minutes passed. Orlan was still busy searching for words.

"What are you want to talk about?" Noura asked impatiently.

"I want to give you this." Orlan gave her a ring he had been holding. Noura narrowed her eyes at the plain black ring.

"Ring? What for?" Noura asked. Orlan stretched out her hand to give a black ring to Noura.

"So that when you're with me or other werewolves, our scent doesn't stick to you," Orlan explained, his voice very reassuring.

"Together with you?"

"Yes, with me. You're my mate." Orlan smiled widely.

"What?" Noura gaped.

"Yes, you are my mate," Orlan repeated.

Noura was silent for five seconds to process Orlan's words.

After successfully digesting Orlan's words, Noura laughed out loud.

Orlan frowned. "Why are you laughing?"

Even Jay was laughing in there. "You're so stiff."

"You'd better shut up! You were not giving any solution but sneering."

Orlan's wolf, Jay, smirked. Oh, Orlan is angry. Terrifying.

Noura caught her breath, finishing her laugh. "What? Am I your mate? You're from the werewolf clan. That's impossible." She wiped the tears that came from laughing.

"You don't believe it? You have made my heart beat. Moon Goddess has destined us to be together." Orlan said to reassure Noura. He smiled widely, which left Noura stunned for a moment.

"Didn't you wrong?" Nora still couldn't believe it. She knew all about the werewolf clan from Arva.

"I'm not wrong, trust me." Orlan stuck out his free hand, and Noura raised an eyebrow. "I will put this ring on. This ring is harmless and will not weaken your strength." Orlan said very seriously.

Noura saw the plain black ring. "Will this tie me to you?" asked Noura to be sure.

Orlan laughed softly. "No. This ring only serves to keep your body from getting contaminated with our body odor, werewolves."

Noura believed a little. If she had worn the ring, she wouldn't have heard Vander forbid her to go to the human world.

"Okay, I'll believe it." Noura stretched out her left hand. Orlan put the plain black ring on Noura's index finger.

Orlan smiled, the ring fitting on Noura's finger.

"The ring, I have felt it." Jay's voice echoed in Orlan's head.

"Beautiful. Well, even if it's black." Noura saw the ring on her finger. "Alpha, is what you said true? I'm your mate?" Noura asked, still in disbelief.

Orlan nodded. "Right. Why would I lie? Don't call me Alpha. Just call me Orlan."

"Um, okay, Orlan."

"Starting tomorrow, allow me to drop you off and pick you up at the cafe. Incidentally, the direction of the cafe and my office is quite close."

"No need."

"I will do it." Orlan smiled. He started the car engine and continued his journey towards the Appalachian Forest. He made it! Turns out it wasn't too difficult to make Noura believe in him.

Noura was confused. How is this? During this time, she passed through her mother's magic portal to go to the human world.